Xbox is proceeding with its planned Xbox FanFest tour for later this year, even after a significant restructuring that resulted in the layoff of thousands of employees, including Chris Munson, the individual credited with creating the FanFest concept. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced the return of Xbox FanFest in March, and this past week, "Team Xbox" revealed six new tour dates across various countries in an Xbox Wire blog post titled "Celebrating 25 Years of Play."
The Xbox FanFest Tour is described as a global, multi-city series of events focused on community and games. The announced dates include stops in Tokyo, London, Mexico City, Sydney, and Toronto, with the tour having already kicked off in Los Angeles during the Xbox Games Showcase and with an appearance at Gamescom planned.
Sharma had previously stated that the community's value for Xbox FanFest was a key factor in its return, intending it as a recognition of long-time players. However, the recent layoffs, which affected approximately 3,200 Xbox employees, cast a shadow over this sentiment. Chris Munson, who had been with Xbox for over 15 years, announced on LinkedIn in July that he was among those let go during this "most significant restructure in Xbox history."
Despite the departure of FanFest's original creator, fans interested in participating can enter sweepstakes for a chance to win tickets to the events. The Xbox Wire post suggests these events are an opportunity to "celebrate the joy of play." Past FanFests have featured giveaways of special edition consoles, such as translucent green Xbox Series X units for the 25th anniversary.